Her Eyes
by blackbird8834
Summary: Follows the episode 911. My take on the aftermath. What happens to Maria after Olivia saves her?
1. Chapter 1

AUTHOR'S NOTE: Hey guys! So this is my first SVU fic. I've done some writing for other TV shows, but they were from a couple of years ago and I took them down when I took a brief hiatus from FF awhile back. They disappeared, so we're starting over!

So onto to this story. I watched the episode 911, and I just couldn't let it go. The connection between Liv and that little girl was too strong. So I sat down at the computer and this kind of spilled out. Know that I am not a lawyer, so everything about the law in here I made up and acknowledge that it might be false. But for the purpose of this story, please go with it.

Also, I can't get FF to display my breaks. Any ideas?

I would love any constructive criticism or any comments you may have. Thanks so much for reading this

DISCLAIMER: Obviously, I own nothing.

Those eyes. Those big, brown eyes. She couldn't get them out of her head. As she leaned over her desk, weight supported on her outstretch palms, pressing firmly against the table, Olivia struggled to breathe. Those eyes were like looking into a mirror. The fear, the rejection, the loneliness. She knew she shouldn't be feeling like this – that little girl had suffered a fate a thousand times more terrible than Olivia's own. She had been locked in a basement, for god's sake! She had been starved and humiliated and buried alive. At the thought, a chill traveled the length of Olivia's spine. _Where does all this sickness and evil come from?_ she thought. _When will it end?_

She sighed heavily, dropping her head. All she could see were Maria's eyes. All she could hear was the sound of Maria's soft accent reciting that stupid rhyme… "Pollito, chicken. Gallina, hen." A warm hand came down and rested on her shoulder, pulling her out of her own head and back into the squad room. Olivia relaxed the second she felt the contact. She would know that hand anywhere. It belonged to the best friend she had – the best friend she had ever had.

"Liv," he said, gently rubbing his hand across her upper back. "You need to get to the hospital. I know this is hard. This is impossibly difficult for any of us to deal with. But she knows you, and trusts you. That little girl needs you right now. You've both been through hell tonight, and she needs a hug from someone she can believe in. She's been let down by everyone she loves, Liv. If I were her, I wouldn't have faith in anyone anymore. Give her something to believe in. Let her believe in you."

Slowly, she raised her head, turning to look into his eyes.

"El, I don't know if I can do it. I don't even know if I believe in myself anymore. How can I ask her to?"

Elliot grasped her shoulder and slowly turned her towards him.

"Olivia, there are a lot of things I've lost my faith in. I lost my faith in Kathy, some of my faith in God, a lot of my faith in the people of this city. But Liv, if there is one thing in the world I still have faith in, it's you. I know I can always believe in you."

Olivia looked at him, eyes shining with fresh tears. Elliot reached out and pulled her to him, holding her tightly to his chest. Olivia took a moment to breathe him in, to calm herself down in the place she felt was the safest in the world. When he felt her breathing become steady once more, Elliot pulled away gently.

"Come on. I'll drive you down."

Break

Olivia knocked softly on the door as she peeked around it. A ghost of a smile flitted across her face as she saw Maria curled up in the hospital bed. She was only hooked up to an IV drip, a treatment for the dehydration. Otherwise, she looked relatively healthy. Physically, at least. Elliot had stopped the doctor outside to receive a report. Thankfully, it appeared that Richard had never actually had sex with the girl – he had just made her pose for the pictures. That, coupled with being locked away alone and being buried alive would surely leave some psychological scars on Maria.

Stepping into the room, Olivia closed the door quietly. She moved to Maria's bedside and slowly sank into the waiting chair. She reached out and grasped the little girl's outstretched hand with her own. At the contact, Maria began to stir. Olivia gently brushed the girl's bangs back from her face, leaving her hand to linger on the side of Maria's face.

"Olivia?" The quiet voice drew Olivia from her thoughts.

"Yeah, baby. It's me. Everything's going to be okay now. I promise."

Maria nuzzled her face into Olivia's hand.

"Stay with me?" She questioned.

"Of course I will sweetheart. I'll be right here when you wake up. Get some sleep, okay, honey?"

Maria nodded and buried her head in the pillow, never letting go of Olivia's hand.

When Olivia was sure she was asleep, she leaned back in the spectacularly uncomfortable hospital issue chair and settled in for a long night.

Break.

"Hey. Livvie. Wake up. I come bearing gifts." The voice started off as a whisper and moved into a teasing tone.

Olivia shifted, wincing as her back protested her sleeping position from the night before.

"El? Is that you?"

Her nose wrinkled, then inhaled. _Ahhh. Coffee._ She blindly reached out, eyes closed against the sunlight streaming in through the window. Elliot snorted a bit and obligingly handed over the cup.

"Yeah. It's me. How's she doing?"

"Medically, she'll be fine as soon as her water levels are back up. Emotionally, I have no idea."

"She'll be okay, Liv. We'll make sure ACS gets her a good foster home and some counseling."

"ACS? Foster home? Isn't she going back to Honduras? Her mother's alive, why not give her back?" Olivia's voice rose both in pitch and speed.

"Whoa, whoa. Breathe, Liv. You gotta breathe, hon. The law says that when her mother sent her across the border alone, she gave up all parental rights. Because a crime was committed against her, the state won't just ship her off, illegal alien or not. She's here to stay."

"El, we _can't _let her go into foster care. You know as well as I do that kids fall through the cracks all the time. What if she gets put into an abusive home? What if something happens to her? No, El. No. Absolutely not. We're going to have to figure something else out because that is NOT going to happen to this little girl. I won't let it. I won't."

"Liv!" Elliot cut off her tirade. "Calm down. Okay, we'll figure it out. It will be okay. But you freaking out is not going to do Maria one ounce of good. So please, just go hold her hand. We'll deal with this stuff later, when she's discharged."

Olivia took a slow, deep breath and returned to her chair. She reached out and caressed Maria's forehead again. Elliot could feel her brain moving a mile a minute from across the room. Her slowly walked to the opposite side of the bed and took a seat, waiting. Olivia blew out the breath she was holding and took her eyes off of Maria, locking her gaze with Elliot's. He saw a decision in her eyes, determination, calm. He raised one eyebrow questioningly, and waited for her to speak.

"I know what I'm going to do, El." Olivia said, slowly.

"What's that?"

"I'm going to keep her."


	2. Chapter 2

"You're going to _what_?" Elliot sputtered in disbelief.

"I'm going to keep her. This kid needs someone to love her. El, I can't let her go. I talked to her for _hours_. She's been through hell, and she needs help. I can give it to her." Olivia's voice was calm and coherent.

"Are you serious, Liv? You know what kind of hours we work. You know exactly how little money we make. Don't you think Maria would be better off with someone who has more resources?"

Olivia looked as if she'd been slapped. Elliot froze and mentally replayed his last statement.

"No, no. Liv. I just meant that you work way too hard as it is. I don't want you or Maria to get hurt. I know that you would love her more than any little girl could be loved, but please, just think about what this will do to your life." Elliot was backtracking quickly, trying to find a way to pull himself out of the hole he dug.

"I am perfectly capable of figuring out _my_ schedule and _my_ finances, thank you. Maybe I'll just find another job." The words came out harsh and biting.

"You've got to be freaking kidding me, Liv. You can't do that to me. Not now. You know everything else in my life has gone up in flames. Hell, I got divorced last month! I need you."

"Maybe. But Maria needs me more." With that, Olivia turned back to the bed.

"No, no, no. This is not going to end this way, Liv. We mean way too much to each other for this to be it." Elliot was pleading, eyes burning holes in the back of Olivia's head.

She kept her back to him and scoffed quietly.

"Right. Elliot, we have made it very clear that we are just partners. Nothing more."

"Livvie, you know that isn't true." Elliot crossed the room and stood just behind Olivia. He was so close that her shoulders tensed at his proximity.

"You and I have never just been partners. You're my best friend in the whole world. You mean everything to me." Elliot's voice was soft and soothing.

"Kathy and the kids mean everything to you. I'm just here so you don't get yourself shot." Olivia's voice shook slightly.

"Well, there is that. But you do so much more than protect me from the perps. Liv, you keep me sane. You can't leave me. If I lose you, I'll lose everything. I'll go insane."

He sighed heavily before reaching out and spinning her around to face him.

"Look, Liv. If this is really what you want, I will be there to help you. It's hard enough to raise a kid with two sets of adult hands. I'm not going to let you do this alone. But you have to look me in the eye and tell me this is what _you_ want. For the long haul. Don't let your emotional state and your stress from yesterday decide this. Is. This. What. You. Want?" he spoke slowly and deliberately, searching his partner's eyes.

She boldly met his gaze.

"El, this is what I've wanted my whole life. She needs love, and I can give it to her. I need this, El. I need her. Forever."

Elliot nodded and squeezed her hands.

"Okay. Let me call Casey. I'll see what we can make happen. But Liv, you have to remember that they don't just let people adopt kids. We have to prove to a judge that we can handle this. They may not be all that excited about giving an emotionally traumatized little girl to two busy police detectives."

The light in Olivia's eyes dimmed, just slightly.

"I'm not saying this to hurt you or freak you out," Elliot swiftly added. "I just don't want you to get your hopes too high up and end up hurt from this."

Olivia grinned.

"I won't get hurt. Casey will just have to find us an amazing attorney."

_God help us all_, Elliot thought.

He sent Olivia back into Maria's hospital room and walked towards the lobby to call Casey, shaking his head in disbelief.

_I can't believe this is happening,_ he thought. _Only for Liv would I do something this crazy._

And with that, he pulled out his phone and hit the speed dial for one Casey Novak.


End file.
